The last couple of weeks I keep hearing this phrase at different times where it just pops in my head, in songs, in bible verses, over and over again. “Look up” and also “lift your head.” This phrase to me says pay attention, don’t be distracted. It makes me think of when you are out in public and at any given moment if you look up most people are looking down at devices, phones, watches they all call for our attention (I too am equally guilty). How many things are we missing in life because we are looking down?
As I was praying this morning, I prayed the phrase “your redemption draweth nigh.” I do not read the King James Version on a regular basis, and certainly I don’t pray in King James vernacular, so when I prayed that I thought I need to go look that verse up. Low and behold it is from Luke 21:28 and the full verse reads “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (KJV) Both phrases in the same verse.
It is a verse that points to the end of days and the return of King Jesus. It is both a warning and a completion of a promise of his return. It says to stand strong in faith and wait in expectation.
There is such a stirring in my spirit that the body of Christ needs to pay attention right now and not be distracted by things that seek to steal our attention. That we need to engage with the people around us. That we need to be watchful and prayerful for what God is doing and saying in this hour. Over and over again when the words “look up” are in the Bible it comes with a word, a warning, a promise, revelation or a vision.
When God spoke to Abraham and promised him descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and sands on the seashore, he began that promise with “Look up at the sky” (Genesis 15:5).
When the “Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby.” (Genesis 18:1-2) These men told him they would return around the same time the next year and Sarah would have a son (v.10).
As Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac on the altar “Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns.” —the provision in place of Isaac. (Genesis 22:13)
Isaiah 40:6 tells us “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” When we look up, we stand in awe of the Lord God, creator of the earth.
When Jesus and the disciples had a crowd of hungry people and only five loaves and the two fish, Jesus “look[ed] up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.” His eyes went to the One who gave him the instructions of what to do. Jesus tells his disciples in John 5:19 “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
Another example of that is when Jesus goes to heal a man that is deaf and mute and as he does so, “34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.” (Mark 7:34-35)
As the women are on the way to Jesus’ tomb they are asking one another, “’Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?’ 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.” (Mark 16:3-4) The answer they sought already lay before them they just had to look up.
Many things seek to have your attention, to fill your mind with the things of this world. I think of all the gross things that I don’t enjoy looking at in this season where death and destruction and fear are glorified. I think of the things happening around the world that can keep us in places of fear and worry and anxiety. I think of an election that is happening in our own country and others that have people concerned for the future. Yet, in all of that there is only one who holds the true answers.
Don’t let the distractions keep you from looking up.
Look up, lift up your head, look to the one who holds the truth in all circumstances. Look to the one who holds every answer that you could ever need. Look up and see the people around you that need hope and encouragement because they don’t know the God of hope and peace. Look up in expectation, he has a word, a promise, a warning, a vision, don’t miss it because you are looking down.
PSALM 121
1I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
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